


Head in the Clouds and Two Feet on the Ground

by Fromageinterrupted



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, First Dates, Glowing trees, I love Allura and she will never be shamed because of a ship, I wish this scene would end with Plance, Realizations, Sometimes who we think we love and who we really love are not the same person, That's what fanfiction is for afterall, There is a lot of Allurance but this is not an Allurance story, flirtyrobot, pidgance, plance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 18:38:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16959381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fromageinterrupted/pseuds/Fromageinterrupted
Summary: Lance finally gets to take Allura on a date. It goes swimmingly, until it doesn't.





	Head in the Clouds and Two Feet on the Ground

Lance was on cloud nine. 

If you had asked him three years ago where he would be today, he might have answered with “an awesome space pilot with a hot, alien girlfriend”, but he didn’t actually believe it deep down. Yet, here he was, taking Allura on her first ever Earth date. 

The Garrison and the surrounding area were still recovering from the mass occupation of the Galra and subsequent war, making date planning a little more involved than in the past. Still Lance found himself falling back on “Lance’s Perfect Date Plan to Impress the Lady and Guarantee* a Second Date (patent pending)”. *second date was not guaranteed.

This involved presenting them with flowers when picking them up (usually nicked from the Garrison Teachers’ dining room). Taking them to a fine dining establishment (fine being whatever he could afford at the time. Usually a burger joint) Then a foray into something that would command their interest, a movie, an art museum, etc. The only issue was, Lance realized when he was planning the date, he didn’t really know that much about Allura’s interests. 

Sure, he knew she seemed to like training, and Altea, and sparkly things (still haven’t gotten her anything sparkly), and she did have that discussion about the flowers on Altea. The Gardens had always been a fall back for Lance when he knew more about how the girl looked and less about who she was. They were dimly lit, and, in the arid desert, rather exotic. He always (occasionally) ended up getting a kiss if he took a girl to The Gardens.

On their date, he had had a good time so far, and Allura seemed to be enjoying herself. He picked her up outside of her dormitory room, enduring some rather unexpected evil looks from Romelle while he waited for Allura. He didn’t find flowers, but his niece and nephew helped him make some out of Origami and Allura appeared to be delighted by this token as well.

Dinner was at a little outdoor Italian restaurant on the edge of town. There Lance introduced her to garlic knots (not a fan turns out) and lasagna (which she really enjoyed). They talked about the team, and their current Monsters and Mana campaign, both laughing hard at how angry Pidge kept getting everytime Lance’s character steals something from hers. Her character was very easy for Lance’s to steal from. Coran especially thought it was funny that Lance rolled a nat 20 any time he wanted to mess with Pidge. 

He found out more about Altea and Allura’s desire to re-colonize her remaining people. She seemed single-minded in this endeavor, letting him know that it and Voltron held precedence over any other aspect of her life. He thought to ask her about Earth and colonizing there, when she grabbed his hand and said, “No, Lonce. I want the new place to be in the same quadrant Altea was in. The stars are familiar there, as are the planets.” She must have seen his face fall because she followed quickly with, “but with the Balmera so close to Earth, and a healthy supply of crystals, visiting each other’s planets should pose no problem.” 

Dinner ended with tiramisu and lattes. Allura loved both, she said as much. 

Now they were walking hand in hand to The Garden, the large, glass, tropical terrarium looming in the distance. It had seen better days, but the lights still shone from their energy stores during the day, and the romantic little cobblestone pathway still wound its way through the grounds. 

“I didn’t say it before, but you look very pretty. I like the dress.” Lance had forgot to tell Allura earlier, she was so pretty in Earth clothes. He briefly wondered what Pidge would look like in a dress these days. What color should she wear? Green seemed a no-brainer, but her hair and freckles would pop in a light blue dress. A different style than Allura’s maybe. And she wouldn’t wear heals, he was sure she wouldn’t put up with that. But maybe a pair of sneakers, no socks? An a blue ribbon in her hair to hold her ever growing locks off her face. She probably wouldn’t wear her glasses either, she’s been wearing them less and less these days anyway. 

“Oh! Lonce!” Allura’s delighting exclamation roused him from his thoughts. They had wandered into a sitting area at the end of the path they were on. He remembered it well now. There had been a tree with impossible colored leaves of blue and silver, green mixed in among them. It rose from the middle of the copse, the nearby lamps giving it a romantic glow that Lance had used to his advantage more than once. Except, now it was just a massive tree trunk with bare branches, the bark still smooth like polished stone. 

“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? Though, I gotta tell you, it definitely looked better in the past.” 

“No, Lonce, you don’t understand. I know this tree. At least, I know trees like this. It’s Altean!” Her eyes glistened as she stared at the tree in wonder. “Imagine, an Altea tree on Earth! And I can feel it’s quintessence. Oh Lonce!” Unexpectedly she hugged him. Lance gladly hugged her back, excited that his date plan was working out so well. He imagined a kiss was not too far behind. 

“Was it a fruit tree? Or maybe it just looked pretty?” Allura backed away from the hug enough to look into his eyes.

“Oh no. Nothing like that. But they were, are, something of a ‘magic’ tree as you Earthers like to say.Only those with abilities like mine could use it.” Her face was flushed, her eyes bright.

“Can you control it with your quintessence? What’s it magic?” Curiosity got the best of Lance and he had completely let go of the hug, his mind full of this ‘magic’ tree and its hitherto unknown abilities. 

“It’s sort of a fortune telling tree. Not really that exactly, but. .” Lance watched as she struggled to explain “..You remember that weird machine at the arcade we all tried the other day? The love match one.” 

Lance laughed, “How could I forget, it was kind of a bummer we only scored a 22%. But those things are bunc anyway, they don’t mean anything.” He tried to reassure her when he saw her grimace at the reminder of their ‘love match’ score. 

She let out a small laugh, “Of course it doesn’t mean anything, Hunk and Shay only got 79% but Hunk and Romelle got 90%. And I know Earth doesn’t have that kind of tech anyway. And who would pay a token to decide if they should date?” Her smile returned. 

Lance reminded himself to not tell her that he and Pidge went back to that arcade later in the week to settle an argument over a different cabinet game, when she started ribbing him about only getting a 22% match, so of course he challenged her to try it with him just to prove him the machine was broken. They were both shocked when it flashed a giant 100% and balloons floated up from the back of the machine. The arcade owner said they were the only 100% they’ve ever seen, then gave them a certificate for 1 hour free play per week if they come together. Yeah, better keep that to himself.

Allura continued, “Most relationships in Altea were arranged. Especially the royal marriages. We Alteans found it better to understand the possibility of success of the relationships being arranged. This type of tree was instrumental in this process.” She let go of his hand and began to walk toward the tree, her hand stretched out toward it, a soft, blue glow starting at her fingertips.

“So it’s a matchmaker tree?” Lance was rooted to his spot, putting his now empty hands into his pockets while she inched closer to the tree.

“Again, not exactly. It can tell, however, commonality in goals and desires, it can help one see if the arranged couple had a good chance of moving through the future together. Many successful matches came from consulting the divining trees.” Her hand glowed brighter and brighter as she moved closer. The tree itself was glowing blue, their shared quintessence pulsing through the area around them. As she touched the trunk, her whole body lit up, her hair flowing around her as if it were underwater.

She kept one hand on the trunk as she turned and reached out toward him. “Come here, Lonce. Do you want to know your desires?” There was something suddenly otherworldly and very alien about Allura. A disconnect that sent him spiraling back emotionally.

“You don’t have to show me, baby, I already know what I de-”

“No, Lonce. You don’t. Come here.” 

Lance moved slowly, reaching his hand out to touch Allura’s as he neared. She grabbed it, and as the light shot from her and enrobed him, Lance’s brain felt like it caught fire. There was no pain, but illumination everywhere. Every inch of his psyche was on display. Scenes and moments flashed all at once, yet were enough for a lifetime. His parents, Cuba, his family, meeting Hunk at the Garrison. Pidge as his comms officer. He and Hunk pestering Pidge. Blue, catching Allura. Pidge shocking him with her bayard. The weird feelings he had when he found out she was a girl. The Space Mall, late night video game sessions, jealousy at Matt because he took Pidge’s attention, jealousy at Lotor because of Allura, Allura reviving him, their hug, Pidge and him arguing during Monsters and Mana. Pidge in her new Garrison uniform. Pidge and him getting 100% at the love match game, her freckles, her eyes, her hair, her laugh, her way of putting him in his place, but being his biggest support out there. Pidge.

Allura let go of his hand and as quick as everything hit, it faded. He was still reeling from the intensity of it all, he didn’t want to look at Allura.

“Oh Lonce…” Her voice was kind. “.. you’re in love with Pidge.”

It wasn’t a question. 

They both knew it. There was no denying what they both just saw.

“‘Lura..I..didn’t know. I really didn’t. I’m sor...sorry.” He took in a shuddering breath, still struggling with the onslaught of clarity.

She hugged him. “It’s why we used the tree back on Altea. I’m not going to pretend I’m not upset by this. I was looking forward to courting with you. But, Lonce, you are in love with Pidge. It’s your knowledge to do with what you will.”

“I love you too, you know. Though, that’s probably a really crappy way to let you know.” 

Allura sighed. “I just saw into your head, Lonce. I know you care for me. But there is a stark difference between your affection for me and Pidge. I do understand. She’s a pretty amazing person.”

They let go of each other.

Allura softly smiled. “Maybe I should convince Keith to try the Love Match machine next time we all go to the arcade.”

Lance bristled “What!? You know the only thing loves is knives. And probably Shiro and his mom. And maybe Kosmo. And..”

Allura laughed, taking Lance’s arm. “Thank you for the date Lonce. I had an amazing time. You were able to give me a piece of home without even planning it. I feel a little less homesick right now.”

“Thank you, Allura.” He patted her hand on his arm.

Lance, ever the gentleman, returned Allura to her room, Romelle looking at her watch and giving him another dirty look. Allura laughed at her and pushed her into their room. 

He took a deep breath and made his way down the hall to another door he was very familiar with. He knocked three times with the little beat they used with each other. Pidge opened the door immediately. She greeted him, her hair disheveled and with blinking, owlish eyes, red-rimmed as if she’d been crying. Lance thought she never looked lovelier. “What are you doing here? I thought you were on a date?”

Lance smiled down at her. “Date’s over. Mind if I come in and talk?”

Pidge moved out of the way and gestured for him to come in. 

He sat on the end of her bed. His leg shaking with nerves.

“Well, what’s on your mind?”


End file.
